The meeting
by Holly of the Night
Summary: A family story of Princess meeting Squirrelkit and Leafkit. Rated "C" for cuteness.


"Oh my, they're just precious!"

Two small pairs of amber eyes blinked up at her blurily. Princess reached down and nuzzled one of them: a brown tabby. The kit squeaked in surprise by Princess's touch and quickly scampered off to hide behind her father: a ginger tom with many scars. Yet his amber eyes, so much like the kits, were soft as he stared at them with his sister Princess.

They were currently standing beside a fence in the undergrowth, just over a Twolegplace, but in the same area of the forest. It was a sunny day today. The forest behind them hid the many smells and secrets only clan cats took with them out of the forest and back. Rarely to even interact with cats outside the clan.

But that didn't stop Firestar from taking his daughters to see their aunt. Princess had practically been thrilled to see that her brother finally had kits. And so adorable they looked to the she-cat that she couldn't help but squeal in delight when two small heads had poked themselves from behind their father's back to look up at their aunt for the first time.

_That's right, I'm an aunt!_

"Sorry!" Princess called to the retreating kit. The tabby she-kit poked her head behind her father's back, staring up at Princess with wide eyes. The other kit, a ginger one, however, stayed where she was as she continued to gawk up at the light brown tabby she-cat.

Princess looked up. "Have you given them names yet?" she asked her brother curiously.

Firestar nodded, resting his tail-tip on the ginger she-kit, whose pelt was lighter but so much like her father's. She looked around when she felt his tail touch her small head. "This one's Squirrelkit," he introduced.

Princess twitched her whiskers. "I can see why you gave her that name," she observed. Squirrelkit was standing on her hind-legs, batting Firestar's tail as he waved it playfully back and forth before her. The kittypet switched her gaze to the quiet she-kit still hiding behind her father.

"And what's her name?"

"Leafkit." Firestar craned his neck behind him. His momentary distraction was all Squirrelkit needed to grab his tail and sink her small claws. But she was still too young to actually do any harm. Firestar flicked her away lightly.

"It's okay," he soothed to Leafkit, reaching out a tail. "You don't have to be afraid of her. She won't harm you." He lightly lightly push his daughter in front of him. Leafkit squeaked and held onto her father's tail in fright, burying her face in his fur as he moved her closer to Princess.

"You don't have to be afraid. She won't bite."

Princess lowered her body to the ground in an attempt to look smaller and less threatening. Leafkit raised her head slightly away from her father's tail to stare at Princess with wide eyes. "Firestar's told me so much about you," the kittypet mewed warmly. She reached out a tail. "How are you?"

The small tabby kit, still clinging to her father's tail, looked at the tail dangling before her. Almost hypnotically. Then she looked at Squirrelkit, who was comfortably sniffing Princess's flank curiously. Unafraid of the kittypet. Leafkit took a hesitant step forward, staring at Princess. Then quickly raised the paw off the ground, as if to run back.

When Princess did nothing, the small kit arched her back in an attempt to look menacing, padding around the kittypet to her sister. Though she wanted to laugh at the cute display of intimidation the kit was displaying, Princess didn't move a hair. Only her eyes followed Leafkit as she attempted to get closer to her sister.

"Scared little thing, isn't she," Princess murmured from the corner of her mouth.

Firestar nodded in agreement. "She and her sister can act completely opposite in personality. With Leafkit as the patient and scared one and Squirrelkit as the hyper and mischevious type. But they still seem to find so much in common."

"They're still kits," Princess pointed out drly. "There's not much difference you can find between them at this age."

Firestar shrugged. They stared at Leafkit as she now began curiously sniffing the same area on Princess's flank Squirrelkit had been observing. Princess hesitated. "How is... um ... Cloudtail doing?"

"Better. Did he show you his daughter Whitepaw?"

Princess shrugged. "He mentioned her once in passing," she murmured quietly. In fact, she had rarely seen her son at all. During the times he had been on patrol, he would always pass by Princess's Twolegplace without a glance unless his mother called him back. It was several seasons ago that Cloudtail had mentioned to his mother about Whitepaw-Whitekit at the time.

But when Princess had asked happily if she could see her granddaughter, Cloudtail turned her down by stating bluntly he didn't think it was in the rules for him to bring Whitekit out so young to see his grandmother.

"Oh, it's okay. I could see her when she's older. Maybe as an apprentice?" Princess had asked hopefully

Cloudtail shrugged, avoiding her eyes. "Maybe."

But despite his loose promise, that time never came. It was only today from Firestar that Princess even found out that Whitepaw was now an apprentice. And it seemed like Cloudtail was in no hurry to introduce his daughter to her grandmother anytime soon. It hurt Princess deeply to find that her son may not want his daughter to have nothing to do with her grandmother. She was excited about her granddaughter, could have bonded well with Whitepaw. Or, at least she hoped she could have.

_Is he afraid I might try and convince Whitepaw to become a kittypet?_ The idea seemed too rediculous for Princess to even consider it as Cloudtail's train of thought. But she could find no other explanation. And despite how much it hurt to feel her son's submissiveness, she'd be a mouse-brain if she complained about any of this to Firestar.

This was a problem between her and her son, not the clan leader.

Squirrelkit suddenly pounced on her sister. Leafkit squaked in surprise by the sudden action, and they began a small tussle before the adult cats. Princess _mrrowed_ in laughter, her disturbing thoughts disappearing like wind as she watched the kits collide to the front of her paws.

"Kits," Firsetar called sharply. "Behave."

But Princess shook her head as they continued to scuffle. "Let them have their fun, Firestar. They're not harming anyone at this age."

The ginger tom dipped his head. "I know. But I don't want them to get used to this. Remember, they have to grow up and learn to behave when becoming apprentices." He reached out a paw and lightly separated the squirming kits.

Princess was not knowledgable in the ways of the clan life, but she didn't think there was any harm in letting the kits behave, well, like kits at this age. But she didn't say anything about it. These were her brother's, not hers. She had no saying in the matter.

Firestar looked up to stare at the sun, gauging its distance. "It's been a nice visit Princess, but we should get going now. Sandstorm will start to worry if her kits are not back soon."

"Didn't she want to visit too?" Princess asked, raising her tail just out of reach as the kit siblings attempted to catch it.

Firestar shrugged. "She had border patrol today. Couldn't come. But she did want me to tell you she said hello."

Princess frowned, lowering her tail for squirrelkit to catch it in her tiny paws. But she didn't know how heavy the tail weighed and almost squished beneath it if the kittypet had not stopped its decent in time. But she had been distracted by Firestar's answer.

The tabby she-cat could tell her brother was lying. Sandstorm didn't really want to come because of her own accord. Not some border patrol holding her back.

_Probably because she doesn't want to associate with a kittypet._

Instead of voicing her concerns out loud, the Princess dipped her head and nuzzled each of her nieces in turn. Squirrelkit purred as she nuzzled her aunt back. Leafkit's fur fluffed a bit as their noses touched. But was better than the kit trying to run off or scratch her aunt, Princess figured.

"Wave to Princess, kits," Firestar mewed as they trudged off. Squirrelkit waved back energetically as they began heading back to the forest. Leafkit simply blinked at her before allowing her father to push her back to the forest.

Princess stayed beside the fence, never moving from the spot until the forest covered up her brother and his daughters. And stayed longer still until their scents all but disappeared before retiring to her Twoleg den.

* * *

**A story I had in the back of my mind ever since Vicky stated in her transcript that Firestar most likely took his kits to see Princess at some point between Firestar's Quest and Midnight. But she never mentioned Cloudtail introducing Princess to her grandaughter. ****So I figured, why not make a story and publish it here? It was really fun to type, and I enjoyed writing about the siblings interaction and a look in Princess's private thoughts. I don't know if anyone else liked it, but if so, I'm glad I made someone else happy =3**


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